B-Cycle.com Blog: E-Bikes Beat the Crisis
AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - The electric bicycle was the driving force for the Dutch bike market in 2008. In the other main European bike market, Germany, electric bikes are now gaining momentum while also in other markets in Europe electric bicycles are beating the financial crisis with ongoing sales growth.
The number of e-Bikes sold has again risen beyond all expectations; to about 140,000 units in 2008 according to the Dutch industry organizations RAI and BOVAG. Total sales in Germany 2008 raise to 100,000 units. For 2009 this number is expected to grow with about 25 to 30%, says the German ZIV association.
On the expectations for Europe 2009 sales
it is said to grow to about 400,000, according to industry associations. This number again seems at the low end of the scale given the fact that in Europe s main markets, Germany and the Netherlands, the public interest in e-Bikes even folding electric bikes is at a high level.
In the world biggest e-Bike market, China, the business remained strong last year. Total 2008 sales stood at 21 million electric bicycles. According to officials at the China Bicycle Association (CBA),due to economic crises last year the ebike business of China is strong with only a modest 4% reduction in export of complete e-Bikes.
China 2008 exports exported to 170 different countries which stood at 580,000 complete e-Bikes. The CBA figures do not include the very large numbers of CKD and SKD electric bikes that are exported to India and the EU. Sales will become more larger than the export number suggest with them included.
The recently founded Light Electric Vehicle Association as well as the EU and USA says on the dynamic growth in the last year in India, many smaller markets Even in the difficult year, it is easy to see that electric bicycles are a very important vehicle category that is becoming one of the top 5 vehicle categories used by humans worldwide.
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